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UNTTED STATES PATnNT ruins.

\VILLIAM A. BALD\VIN OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOAMIII A. THOMAS, J. CLEMENT SMITH, AND JAMES J. SHEEIIY, ALL OFIVASI'IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COMBINING METALS WITH ALUMINUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,278, dated February21, 1888.

Application filed July '20, 188 Serial No. 244,830. (No spccimensl full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use thesame.

1 This invention relates to a direct process of extracting aluminum fromsubstances bearing alumina, and combining the aluminum with other metalsby the direct application of such substances with carbonaceous matter,sodium chloride, and the metal, all in a state of fusion, substantiallyas hereinafter specified and claimed.

My applications for patents, numbered respectively 234,818 and 23%,820,relate to processes for extracting the metal aluminum from substancesbearing alumina,and hence nothing claimed in said applications, oreither of them, is claimed in this application.

My application No. 23i,821 relates to the treatment of metal in a bathof fused clay, salt, and charcoal, but in such treatment the form of themetal is not changed by fusion or otherwise. The claims therefore inthat case are unlike and do not conflict with the claim made in theapplicaiion now under consideration.

\Vhile I have described the sodium chloride, carbonaceous matter, andsubstances bearing alumina, which when fused serve as a bath for thetreatment of metals, yet it is not desired that such should be claimedbroadly herein, as the same is made the subjcctmatter of a claim to anapplication for a patent which I have filed in the Patent- Office underdate of Janumy 31, 1888.

In carrying out my process I first take, preferably, of dry pulverizedclay one part, of pulverized charcoal one-fourth part,and of sodiumchloride three parts, by weight, and bring the mixture to a state offusion in a crucible or melting-pot. The proportions of charcoal andsodium chloride herein given may be varied somewhat, but I have foundthat the propor- 5o tions mentioned have given satisfactory results.

I next pourinto the fused mixture of clay, charcoal and salt, moltenmetal-such as iron, steel, copper, or other metal-that I desire tocombine with aluminum, and allow it to remain until combination of thealuminum is effected with the metal so introduced. A half-hour or moreis required for this purpose,according to the amount of the charge.During this time the contents of the crucible must be kept in a state offusion, and sometimes I find it desirable to stir the said contents.Finally I discharge the combined metals into suitable molds to form pigsor bars.

It is obvious that the clay, charcoal, and sodium chloride, and themetal desired to be combined with aluminum may all be fused in the samecrucible at the same time with like result; but metals which melt atalow temperature--su :h as zinc and tinshould not be introduced until thecontents of the crucible are fused. It is also obvious that coal, COliC,or other substance carrying carbon may beused instead of charcoal, but Ihave found that the latter gives the best results. 7 5

The process I have described above refers to the combination of aluminumwith other metals directly from clay; but there are substances thatcontain more aluminum than clay-such as bauxite and corundum. Suchsubstances may be used in the same manner as clay by increasing theproportions of coal and sodium chloride.

In my experiments I find that common clay in its natural state andwithout any prcparation whatever, except drying and pulrerizing, hasproved the substance from which aluminum is most casily extracted. Ifind also that fused metal may sometimes be poured direct upon and intoan unfused mass of clay, car 0 bonaceous matter, and sodium chloridewith good results, but I do not deem that process as economical orreliable as that which I have heretofore described.

\Vhile I have described in this application that clay, charcoal, andsodium chloride, and the metal desired to be combined with alumian m mayall be fused in the same crucible at the same time, yet it is notdesired to claim matter and sodium chloride, the sodium chlothat methodherein, as the same is described ride being in excess of the othersubstances, and claimed in my application-filed April 14, fusing themetal to be combined,-aud intro- 1887, Serial No. 234,819, and in theapplication ducing the metal thus fused into the said fused I5 5 lastmentioned the bath of fused clay, carbo muss, substantially asspecified.

nuceous matter, and sodium chloride, in the In testimony whereoflaffixmysignuturc in proportions set forth, are also described. presence oftwo witnesses.

I claim as my invention- \VILLIAM A. BALD\VIN. Theprocess ofcombining ametal with alumi- Vitnesses: 1o num, consisting in first fusing clay orlike sub- I. S. BAKER,

T. E, TURPIN.

stances containing alumina with carbonaceous

